Savage Garden
1993 multi-instrumentalist and producer Daniel Jones placed an advertisement in Brisbane newspaper Time Off seeking a vocalist for his five-piece band Red Edge. Darren Hayes, who was studying at a university in Brisbane at the time, responded and was asked to join immediately after his first audition 1994 JUNE Darren and Daniel left Red Edge to pursue a career together. The new duo was named "Savage Garden" – a name taken from The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice ("The mind of each man is a savage garden...") By the end of that year, the pair had penned enough songs for a demo tape, which they sent to various record companies around the world 1995 they entered the studio to work on their debut album 1996 JULY under Roadshow Music, the duo released their debut single "I Want You". The single was a hit in Australia and became the highest-selling single by an Australian artist of the year. The success of the single garnered much interest from many US record labels SEP Columbia Records won the bidding war to sign the band NOV a second single, "To the Moon and Back", was released and was another chart hit – reaching #1 in January of the following year 1997 FEB "I Want You" was released in the United States, where it peaked at #4 and quickly achieved gold status MAR "Truly Madly Deeply", the band's third Australian single, was released and reached #1 24 The duo's debut album, Savage Garden, entered the Australian charts at #1 in March and remained at that peak for 17 weeks – it was released around the world two weeks later APR "I Want You" was released across Europe MAY "To the Moon and Back" was the most played song on US radio JUNE a fourth single, "Break Me Shake Me" was released in Australia as the band's debut album sat at #3 on the US charts and was certified gold by RIAA AUGUST the album had gone seven-times platinum in Australia, triple-platinum in Canada, and double-platinum in New Zealand and Singapore Savage Garden was nominated for a record 13 ARIA Awards SEP 22 The 10 ARIAs won by them was also a record, and one that still stands today: 11th Annual ARIA Music Awards (Australia) - record 10 wins: Album of the Year (Savage Garden) Single of the Year ("Truly Madly Deeply") Song of the Year ("To the Moon and Back") Highest Selling Single ("Truly Madly Deeply") Best Group Breakthrough Artist – Album (Savage Garden) Best Pop Release ("To the Moon and Back") Best Independent Release (Savage Garden) Producer of the Year (Charles Fisher, Savage Garden) Engineer of the Year Riding this massive wave of popularity was the release of their fifth Australian single, "Universe". NOV "Truly Madly Deeply" became their third US release, shooting up the charts to blow Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" out of its 14-week run at the number-one spot Channel V Awards (India) Best International Debut Single ("I Want You") 1998 JAN "All Around Me", was released as a radio only single in Australia, though about 3000 physical copies were produced and given away at their second concert in Brisbane By the end of the year, "Truly Madly Deeply" was the most-played song on US radio and the only one-sided single to spend a full year in the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 JUNE Savage Garden was re-issued with a bonus disc of remixes titled Future of Earthly Delites in Australia NOV "Santa Monica", the final single from the debut album, was released exclusively in Japan, accompanied by a live video with their performance of the song at the Hard Rock Cafe IFPI Platinum Europe Award in recognition of European sales in excess of 1,000,000 (1998) 12th Annual ARIA Music Awards (Australia): Highest Selling Album (Savage Garden) Outstanding Achievement Award APRA Music Awards (Australasian Performing Right Association) Songwriters of the Year Most Performed Australian Work Overseas ("I Want You") The Video Collection is released 1999 FEB 23 "The Animal Song" is released (featured in the Touchstone film The Other Sister) becoming a hit in Australia and the US AUG The music video for "I Knew I Loved You" is filmed 11 Saw the release of a new single previewing their forthcoming album; the smooth, romantic ballad, "I Knew I Loved You" NOV 9 the duo's second album, Affirmation, was released around the world. It took a month for it to go platinum in the US, largely due to the success of the single "I Knew I Loved You," which hit #1 on the charts, eventually going platinum and becoming the most-played single on US radio for the year. The group finished out the year by winning two Billboard Music Awards: Adult Contemporary Single of the Year and Hot 100 Singles Airplay of the Year. Billboard Music Awards (USA) Adult Contemporary Single of the Year ("Truly Madly Deeply") Hot 100 Singles Airplay of the Year ("Truly Madly Deeply") 13th Annual ARIA Music Awards (Australia) Best Pop Release ("The Animal Song") Top 10 on 7 different year-end charts in Billboard Magazine in 1999, based on sales and radio airplay in the US: Top Pop Artists (#3) Hot 100 Singles Artists Duo/Group (#3) Hot 100 Singles (#4 - "Truly Madly Deeply") Top 200 Album Artists Duo/Group (#4) Top 200 Albums (#9 - Savage Garden) Top 200 Album Artists (#10) APRA Music Awards (Australasian Performing Right Association) Most Performed Australian Work Overseas ("Truly Madly Deeply") The video The Story So Far is released 2000 FEB as "Crash and Burn" became the third single from their second album, 1997's "Truly Madly Deeply" was amazingly still on the Monitor/Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart, breaking the record for length of time of any single on that chart. It would finally drop off the chart after 123 weeks, while "Crash and Burn" peaked at #24. JUNE Darren Hayes performed "'O Sole Mio" at Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti's annual charitable benefit concert Pavarotti and Friends Savage Garden's great success was reflected once again at the Billboard Music Awards, where they won Best Adult Contemporary Video and No. 1 Adult Contemporary Song of the Year, for "I Knew I Loved You", and No. 1 Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year. "I Knew I Loved You" stayed on the Monitor/Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart for 124 weeks – overtaking the duo's own record previously set by "Truly Madly Deeply". OCT 1 Savage Garden performed "Affirmation" as part of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Closing Ceremony. Most Played Song on American Radio ("I Knew I Loved You") World Music Awards (Monaco) "World's Bestselling Australian Group" 14th Annual ARIA Music Awards (Australia) Highest Selling Album (Affirmation) Billboard Music Awards (USA) Best AC Video ("I Knew I Loved You") AC Song of the Year ("I Knew I Loved You") AC Artist of the Year BRMB Music Radio Award Best International Group APRA Music Awards (Australasian Performing Right Association) Most Performed Australian Work ("The Animal Song") Most Performed Australian Work Overseas ("Truly Madly Deeply") Affirmation was re-issued with a bonus live disc titled Declaration in Australia and the UK 2001 MAR 12 The DVD/Video Superstars and Cannonballs is released OCT Savage Garden officially announced their breakup and the duo went their separate ways 18th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Song of the Year (2001) APRA Music Awards (Australasian Performing Right Association) Most Performed Australian Work Overseas ("I Knew I Loved You") 2002 APRA Music Awards (Australasian Performing Right Association) Most Performed Australian Work ("Hold Me") Most Performed Australian Work Overseas ("Crash and Burn") 2003 - 2009 2005 NOV 1 The compilation album Truly Madly Completely: The Best of Savage Garden is released